Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Washington County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues with medium priority
Elections Office Relocation
The Elections office is moving from the courthouse to the Courthouse Annex, putting the office, voting machines, early voting, and central count under one roof. It should save staff countless cross-street trips and be ready before the November election.
County Clerk modernization paying off
The county is digitizing roughly two million paper documents for about $202,000 over 18 months, plus a Laserfiche document system at ~$61,620 a year. That means faster public records responses, less risk to aging paper files, and no more 'treasure hunts' for staff.
Jail population climbing
The average daily jail population hit 115 in August, near 2022 levels, with 13 inmates transferred because bonds weren't being made. The sheriff said the county plays only a small role in a system-wide issue and is monitoring it closely.
FY2027 Holiday Schedule Change
County employees will no longer get a floating birthday holiday — instead, the whole county observes President's Day. If you still want your birthday off, you'll need to use PTO.
Scarecrow Music Festival permits
The Bluebonnet Festival and the Kenney Ride each got their standard annual right-of-way permits, clearing the way for the community events to use county rights-of-way.
New Elections Administrator takes office
Jennifer Gajeske was formally seated as Elections Administrator, with her bond and salary approved, just ahead of the November election.
Expo improvements and park designation
A new CDL training pilot is coming to Washington County through a partnership with Ancora, Prairie View A&M, and the City of Brenham, with classroom space in Brenham and driving training at the Expo. Ancora will sponsor one county employee's training.
Mobile printers for patrol vehicles
The JP Technology Fund is buying 37 Brother PocketJet 8 printers so deputies and constables can print required forms from their vehicles under the new JP software. It covers the whole sheriff's department and constable fleet.
811 Safe Digging Awareness
The court proclaimed August 11 as 811 Day, urging homeowners and contractors to call 811 before digging to avoid striking gas lines and other underground utilities.
County cybersecurity and software consolidation
The IT department bought a three-year PDQ Connect subscription to fix an audit finding on vulnerability and patch management across 330 county computers. Savings from consolidating other software keep it budget-neutral.
Stars Over Washington County July 4th success
The county is spending hotel tax money on fireworks, a Journey tribute band, and contracted bartending for the America 250th July 4th event, splitting costs evenly with the City of Brenham.
Clean 2025 county audit and strong fund balance
Auditor Shawna Hollis reported the county earned a double-A rating from S&P Global, which lowers borrowing costs. June sales tax came in about $20,000 below last year.
Chronic Wasting Disease Monitoring
TPWD will keep its CWD check station on county property during deer season. A local high-fenced breeder facility had 51 positive cases, but no positives have come from low-fence (free-range) deer. Hunters can get free testing at the drop box.
Feral Hog Damage Management
Texas Wildlife Services removed 578 feral hogs in 2025, but hogs still caused about $132,000 in reported damage to landscapes, pastures, ponds, and cemeteries. Another 420 have been removed so far in 2026. It's ongoing damage management, not eradication.
Employee insurance costs rising for dental
County employee dental insurance is running at a 130% loss ratio, so the carrier wouldn't extend multi-year rate deals. HR negotiated a 19% increase down from 25-30% market rates, passed to employees with no added county cost.
Jail renovation nearing completion
The jail roof project is 75% done, but crews found bad gutters, dryer vents and other repairs that added $25,900 to the contract. The judge noted fixing these now avoids costlier work later.
County website overhaul
The county is adding branded department headers to its website, and staff flagged a coming federal ADA compliance deadline (April 2028) that will require embedded PDFs on the website to be accessible — a project expected to cost more and appear in upcoming budget talks.
Potential certificates of obligation debt issuance
The court took the first legal step toward issuing certificates of obligation — a form of county debt that doesn't require voter approval. Officials stressed it's only a preliminary newspaper notice, not a final decision.
Pipeline condemnation cases headed to county courts
The County Clerk reported a law firm will file well over 100 condemnation cases for a pipeline project — not the SH 290 case — which will keep the civil docket very busy.
Ridgewood Farms Subdivision Section Two
A 27-lot subdivision along Baranowski Road in Precinct 4 got final plat approval, with lots averaging over 4 acres and two detention ponds for stormwater. Commissioners noted it has only one way in and out, which future regulations will no longer allow.
Faith Mission emergency services partnership
Faith Mission serves as the county's primary volunteer disaster relief organization. The court updated its disaster recovery fund agreement but tabled the broader emergency services MOU over insurance, drug testing, and fuel cost questions.
School Board Meeting
The Brenham School Board is meeting Monday to talk about building upgrades, new grants, and staffing shifts. It’s a quick way to see how the district is spending your tax money and planning for the future.
Oil and gas drilling on McNelly Lane
GeoSouthern got a permit to drill on McNelly Lane in Precinct 3 — its first application since 2022. The county has a road agreement and bond so the flexible-base road gets restored to pre-drilling condition.
Maplewood Subdivision Final Plat
A 9-lot subdivision near Old Gay Hill and Mount Vernon Roads was approved, but lots share a pond and one sits near an oil and gas pad — buyers will face tighter building setbacks and shared maintenance headaches.
Road construction material price increase
Fuel-driven costs are pushing up the price of chip-sealing materials by $4.45 per ton, adding about $14,000 to this year's road program.
Hotel Occupancy Tax grant distribution
The Expo brought about $7.8 million in economic impact to the county in 2025 and saved the county $24,000 in mileage reimbursements through its shared vehicle program. The Texas Arts and Music Festival still owes a 2025 HOT fund report and can't apply for the next round until it does.
County moves to automated ACH vendor payments
The county is replacing paper checks with an automated ACH payment system through Tyler Technologies. It should save about $37,800 a year and reduce lost checks and fraud, while keeping the option to print checks.
Payroll checks and balances
Moving the payroll benefits specialist out of the Treasurer's office into HR separates duties that shouldn't sit together, protecting the county on payroll handling.
Loose livestock on roadways rising
Dry weather is pushing cattle onto roads — loose livestock calls jumped from 81 to 114 in March, a hazard for rural drivers.
Federal conservation funding for county farmers and ranchers
The local Soil and Water Conservation District has been pre-approved for about $1.1 million in federal dollars covering 3,400 acres — a huge jump from 2025's $355,000 — supporting soil health and regenerative agriculture.
Extension Service community programs
The Extension Office now has six agents and is running free financial literacy and credit-building courses, nutrition workshops, youth programs, and senior outreach across the county.
Industrial Development
Viridien is officially breaking ground on a massive data center in Brenham, and they’re finally addressing concerns about how it’ll affect our power grid and local landscape. It’s a huge project that’s going to change the area, so we need to watch how they handle the neighborhood impact.
Fire suppression for new large subdivisions
Subdivisions with 20+ lots must now build a lined fire pond with a standpipe so volunteer fire departments have water. Better fire access can also lower residents' insurance rates.
County workforce vacancies
The county is short 20 full-time employees, including eight sheriff's office positions and several jail staff, though EMS is close to full staffing. HR is also asking for an extra staff member to handle a flood of public information requests.
Countywide salary survey
State-funded court case management system (UCMS)
Both the district and county clerk offices signed agreements joining the state's court case management system, with Tyler Technologies as vendor — and the state is picking up the tab for the software.
EDS quarterly report and road mapping
License plate reader cameras on county roads
The Sheriff will install automated license plate recognition cameras on FM 50 and Highway 105 through a TxDOT agreement. The Sheriff says they track vehicles, not people, and help find missing persons or stolen cars in real time.
FM 1155 N land division variance
A 9.12-acre tract will be split into four lots despite a neighbor's concern that the six-mile gravel road can't handle more traffic. Commissioners noted state law limits their ability to block divisions that meet minimum standards.
CDBG-DR disaster recovery grant administration
The court authorized RFPs for an administrator to help run the 2024 Disasters CDBG-DR grant program from the state land office.
Retirement of EMS Director Kevin Doramus
Kevin Doramus is retiring March 1 after 31 years, having built EMS substations, an air ambulance program, and a planned telehealth clinic in Burton. The county gets to keep his expertise regionally through TDEM.
Reserve deputy constable for Precinct 3
Precinct 3 gets an extra pair of hands for civil process, court security, and enforcement — at zero cost, since the new reserve deputy serves as a volunteer. Justin Schiller has 12+ years of law enforcement experience.
New Oak Crest Estates subdivision on Greenvine Road
A new six-lot subdivision is coming to Precinct 4 off Greenvine Road, about a mile east of FM 2502. Lots average 3 acres on a roughly 18-acre tract, meeting all county frontage and setback rules.
EMS call volume rising sharply
EMS 911 ambulance calls jumped about 15% in one year, driven mostly by accident responses. The department is fully staffed for the first time in the director's career and revenue covers 82% of its budget, but rising call volume means more staffing and costs ahead.
Independence/CEPR road box culvert replacement
The county is replacing old corrugated metal pipe at a drainage crossing with 246 feet of concrete box culverts. The low bid came in slightly over estimate, but equipment savings should bring the total close to the original $174,000 figure.
Bank depository change
The county is ending its long relationship with a single depository and seeking bids to split its funds across two banks, since banks increasingly don't want to hold that much cash. Bids due Feb. 19, award March 3.
Emergency Facility Closures
Winter weather is forcing Washington County to lock the doors on several public buildings this Monday. Don't waste a trip—check the city's website to see if your destination is open before you leave the house.
JP Precinct 1 Staffing and Leadership Transition
Judge Zwiener and his 34-year veteran clerk both retire this year. The part-to-full-time conversion keeps a training pipeline alive so the next judge inherits a capable office.
HR staffing shortage
HR can't fill its generalist vacancy and has picked up county payroll, so a temporary assistant is extended through June 20, 2026.
Public Safety and Park Infrastructure
After a tragic drowning in a Brenham park, city officials are scrambling to re-evaluate flood safety and warning systems. Expect to see new restrictions or better signage popping up at local parks soon as the city tries to prevent another accident.